Epic Trouble
by Jay Watermen
Summary: Mk gets pulled back to her mini self when a new threat kidnaps her father. She explores more of the forest and discovers something about Nod that could change their relationship for the worst.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi! Thanks for reading,I'm new so please not a lot of criticism, i can handle a little lol.**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Taken**

"MK, whats wrong?" MK looked up from her sketchpad and sighed. "I'm fine dad." she said. "You're not fine, you stay cooped up here all the time, you don't even go out to see Nod and the others too often." MK shook her head. "The leaf men are busy lately, scouting the forest for more threats, since there's a new queen and all. He never has time." Her dad scratched his face,"What about you know..,humans? Don't loose yourself to my work too." MK smiled weakly,"I don't ..,click well with stomp- I mean regular people.I guess I'm a lot like you, Mom was the only one who really understood me. I never felt like i belonged anywhere." Her dad sighed,"MK, maybe..,"

"No Dad, I don't want to hear anymore, I just want to be alone."

MK took off through the door and into the woods, walking in a direction she hadn't been regularly. She kept walking until she was pretty sure she was lost, she slowed down her pace but kept reached a clearing that was home to a beautiful pond she had never come across before. She bent down to graze her fingers across the sparkling water,and look up when she heard the ever familiar sound of twigs breaking. She looked up into unfamiliar eyes that stunned her. She gasped as she took in the sight of a beautiful unicorn, whiter than snow with golden horn and hooves and deep purple eyes.

A flock of crows suddenly burst into the sky breaking her attention and she looked back, the unicorn was gone. She shook her head, maybe she hadn't seen it after was getting dark and MK started wandering back the way she had came, hoping she could find her way back. Why hadn't she seen any sign of the leaf men way out here? She worried all the way back until she found a familiar trail and followed it back to the house. There were no lights in the windows,maybe dad was out for an afternoon stroll? She let herself in and heard all the cameras going sat down at the desk and turned on the nearest communicator.

"MK!" She blinked in surprise,"Nod? Whats wrong?" She watched Nod relax slightly,"I'm glad your safe, for now. A team of leaf men are coming to your house to protect you."

"Protect me?"Mk asked"From what..? Nod!" Nod sighed frustrated," Listen, your dad has been taken, by someone from our world." Mk shook her head,"Who? The boggins are gone-"

"No,"Nod said," something worse. Just hang on, they'll be there soon." Then he was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Dad. Who took him? What was worse than a boggin? Was this the new threat that all t he leaf men were looking for?

MK was distracted by the sound of tiny wings and a tapping at her window. She looked up to see a hummingbird with a tiny figure riding upon it. "Ronin!". She opened the window and along with the leaf men leader four other bird riding leaf men soared in,one accompanying the queen."Your majesty?" She slid on a communication helmet.

"Hello MK, sorry about all this."said the Queen." Would you like to grab some personal items before we go?"

MK packed a backpack with bathroom items, a few changes of clothes and a family picture from when she was little and walked back downstairs. "What about Ozzie?" she asked. Ronin twisted his head looking disgustedly at the slobbery mutt, but the Queen smiled and said,"Of course Ozzie is coming too." MK grabbed a bag of dog treats and couple days worth of dog food."Okled, I'm ready."

They walked outside and after a moment , MK felt a force as light as a feather wash over her from head to toe. She opened her eyes and looked up to the now gigantic house and towering steps.

"Welcome back!" said the Queen. MK smiled at her. "Alright,not time for pleasantries, you're with me."Said Ronin and he helped MK saddle the bird."Hold tight." he muttered and they were soaring through the air. She had really missed flying, it was so freeing, thrilling and made her feel lighthearted. She let herself drift back to dreams she had, flying with Nod under a full moon and endless stars, a stolen kiss maybe under a private tree. She stopped daydreaming. "Why didnt Nod come?" she asked Ronin. "Nod was, put on another charge. He wasn't thrilled but it was were he was needed most. He shook his head and then sped up so there wasn't much opportunity for talking.

Soon they landed and dismounted the birds, coming to the base of and enormas( even in stomper height it was huge) oak tree. Ronin and the guards walked Mk and the Queen to the base of the great tree, walked through an arc formed by the trees roots that led underground. ?'This is the heart of the forest, and my home, the underground palace."

The underground place was beautiful, made of the trees roots, it looked like they had grown in the shape of a structure worthy only of fairytales."Magic exsists everywhere in nature, it's not just a coincidence." the queen said smiling at MK. "We're going to the great room to talk to the other leaf men , then I'll show you where you'll be staying, MK." The queen took her hand and led her down a hallway to the right. The hallways were lit with small floating orbs that a sunflower man was tending to. He formed an orb shape in his hands, lifted it up along the wall, the higher it rose, the brighter it shone."Wow!" MK said. The flower man smiled at her,"Everyone serves a purpose,"he said and went on about his job. When they arrived at the great room there was about twelve other leaf men seated around a table,none of them was there were all seated , Ronin started to speak, "MK there's a new threat to the forest. One worse than Mandrake or the boggins. This threat kidnapped your father because he knew so much about our society, which has been hidden to them for some time."

"So they thought my Dad could lead them here?"mk asked

"Yes,"he replied,"we believe if you had been there you would have been taken also." Mk shook her head,"So, they're powerful, they have powers like the queen, power to bring us here." Ronin nodded."This one behind it, is Queen Terras sister. Her twin. We age differently than humans, Terra had been Queen for about 100 human years, we thought her twin had died."

"Wait,"said MK, "I thought the Queens were chosen, not born with powers.

"True,but Queen Terra and Elra were so much alike, two bodies sharing one soul, they were both choosen to rule, but Elra's heart turned cold from power and she tried to kill Terra. Terra was strong enough to defeat her, and banish her from the kingdom, but she didn't have it in her to destroy her sister." Ronin looked down to the table at his folded hands."We've been trying to locate her, but everytime we get close, she slips need to protect you because you know som much about us, she will use it against you. If you're here, you're safe. You have a bigger target on your back since N- ahh since you've actually been among us before. Until we defeat her and find your father you must stay in the city." MK nodded


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Ok men. we need to check in with the other leaf men." Ronin and the others bowed to the . Queen adn left the room. "Well come on MK, don't worry, the castle is very well protected, you've got to be exshausted." the Queen said. MK nodded agian and let the Queen take her hand and lead her trhough the caslte." Your so young, don't you ever get scared?"MK asked her. "Well, I'm roughly the smae age as you, but yes it'sscary and sometimes a bit overwhelming, but i feel like i was meant for this. Well here we are, I hope you're comfy here. I'll send some food up for you if you like."

MK thanked her and walked through yet another root archway into a room lit with more "flower lights", a small two seater table, a bed she was sure was made of leaves, but looked extremly inviting and a small dresser. She sat down on the bed and ran her hands along the smooth blankets going over eveything she had just been was Nod? Did he want to see her as badly as she wanted to see him? She didnt really know where they stood being six feet or more in hieght difference, give or take a few inches. But for now, they were the same size. Would he hug her? Kiss her? It was all very confusing.

While she thought of Nod, food was brought to her, but she really wasn't hungry. A while later someone was knocking,"MK..?" she heard Nod's voice. "In here." she said. He walked in still in his leaf men armor, looking tired. "Hey!" His eyes lit up when he saw her. "Come here," he siad and pulled her in for a hug, enveloping her in his woodsy scent and before she knew it she was crying. He held her, not speaking, letting her cry. When she stopped His voice was a little rough as he spoke, "No one will hurt you , MK, or your dad. Youll be fine, I promise." She stepped back and ungracefully wiped her face."Sorry, I don't know what happend there. Where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Sit down, I'm starving, and I'm sure you are too." he said. They sat and Nod uncovered the dish that was sent up, a loaf of bread, pitcher of some kind of drink and a small pot. Nod cut the bread and ladled what looked like soup into two bowls. He sat one bowl in front of MK nad started devouring the other."Eat," he siad,"then I'll talk. I'm not going to until I'm done anyway." MK picked up a spoon and tasted the soup, it was yummy. She realized how hungry she was and started dipping the bread too. Which was even better. Nod smiled at her,"Good?' he asked. "Actually, yes." she replied. Nod laughed, "What did you expect, we have tastebuds ya know."

Mk rolled her eyes and poured both of them a cup from the pitcher. The liquid was light yellow, like honey and sweet. "What are we eating?" she asked. "Well that's honeysuckle tea, acorn bread you just demolished, and wild mushroom and onion soup."

Nod finished eating and siad,"I guess you heard about Queen Terra's sister then. I've been on the team looking for her. We found traces of her army by a pond at our borders, but she slipped away from us agian."

"A pound out west?" MK asked. He nodded,"Why?" he asked. "Well, i kinda took a walk by myself today and ended up at a pond heading west.I saw.., well i think I saw, a unicorn, but i know its sillly and these crows went all crazy and when i looked back it was gone, so i probably just imagined it."

"A unicorn? Golden hooves, and horn? Purple eyes?" he asked. MK nodded," Yeah, you're not telling me they actually exixt do you?" Nod sighed, "We thought they were all gone. Unicorns aren't what they're portrayed in stories. They're dark creatures, with dark powers, Elra, teamed up with them years ago to try and destroy Terra. If you saw one, you probably got out of there just in time, it's scares me, knowing you were that close to one, and maybe to her."

MK stared down at her fingers. She still didn't know how he felt about her. Nod rubbed the back of his neck."MK, I'm really glad you're here, I wish it were on better terms, but it's nice to have you around.I guess I need to go get some sleep, I'll get up early tomorow and talk to Ronin." He got up to leave."No, Nod..Will you stay with me? I just really don't want to be alone, I haven't really had anyone to talk to in forever."

"MK, I'm stinky and sweaty" he said but added quickly when he saw her face," But ill got get cleaned up and come back, I won't leave you."

Nod was back within fifteen minutes. They shared the bed, and stayed up talking until they both fell asleep. The next morning, Nod woke up to MK lightly snoring on his shoulder. He watched her for a good thirty minutes, memorizing her face, freckles, the shape of her lips and length of her lashes. He wasn't worried about falling for a girl who was sometimes a giant compared to him. He was only worried about the harm that would come to her when Elra found out. Being betroved to an evil Ex-Queen kinda put a damper on any relationship with MK he hoped to have. In his world, when you were betroved to another, there was only one way to break it. And it was dark.

Nod kissed her lips gently, without waking her, before getting up and leaving the room. He left MK a note telling where he had gone.

"_I've got to report to the leaf men. I'' find you_

_ later. Get out and explore a little.-Nod"_


End file.
